1.0 Reason for Policy

The purpose of this policy is to establish the University of Manitoba's examination regulations.

2.0 Policy Statement

2.1 The Senate has determined that each Faculty or School shall be responsible for establishing regulations governing evaluation procedures for students enrolled in its courses. Those items listed under University Regulations shall be incorporated, but not necessarily verbatim, into the regulations established by faculties, schools or departments. Matters shown as Guidelines should be seriously considered for inclusion. Faculties and Schools shall submit regulations and amendments to evaluation procedures to Senate for its approval. Such requests should be submitted, in the first instance, to the Senate Committee on the Academic Evaluation of Students through the Senate Secretariat.

2.2 UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS

2.2.3 Information Provided to Students

Within the first week of lectures, students shall be informed of the method of evaluation to be used in each course.

2.2.4 Examinations

Examination General Regulations

a) Any test or tests which have an aggregate value of more than 20% of the total value of the course may not be scheduled to take place during the 14 calendar days ending with the last day of classes in the term during the regular session as defined in the University General Calendar, or during the last two classes of Summer Evening and the last three classes for Intersession and Summer Day sessions.

b) No project or assignment may be announced during the periods outlined in 2.2.4(a) above, unless contained in the information required to be provided to all students in the course during the first week of classes (Policy "Responsibilities of Academic Staff with Regard to Students" , 2.4.1.4).

2.2.5 Final Examinations

a) No final examinations or the return of take-home final examinations shall be scheduled to occur prior to the examination periods as described in the General Calendar except with the expressed joint consent of the Deans and Directors involved.

b) The weight of each question shall be clearly indicated on the examination paper.

c) The name of the instructor or the Examination Committee shall be clearly indicated on the examination paper.

d) Faculties, Schools or Departments electing to use the services of the Registrar's Office shall adhere to the regulations contained in 2.3.

2.2.6 Deferred Examinations

a) Students may file an application for a deferred examination with the Dean of the Faculty or the Director of the School in which they are registered for their programme, for reasons of illness or other disability, or for compassionate reasons, setting out the reasons for the deferral. The application must normally be filed within seven working days of the end of the examination series in which the examination was scheduled to be written and must be accompanied by a medical certificate or otherwise appropriate documentation certifying the reason for the deferral, the inability of the student to write the examination at the regular scheduled time and, where possible, indicating the period of disability. Based on the evidence, the Dean or Director shall decide whether the application is approved.

b) Any students requesting a deferred examination(s) on the grounds that they are unable to write said examination(s) because they are participating in an inter-university, provincial, inter-provincial, national or international scholastic or athletic event shall be granted said deferral, provided:

i) students file an application with the Dean of the Faculty or the Director of the School in which they are registered well in advance (normally 20 working days) of the scheduled examination(s); and
ii) the aforementioned application is submitted with appropriate documentation; and
iii) that the Dean or Director is satisfied, based on the evidence, that the application should be approved.

c) Any students requesting a deferred examination(s) on the grounds that said examination(s) conflict(s) with vacation or holiday plans shall not be granted a deferral.

d) Any students leaving an examination early for reasons outlined under 2.26 (a) must notify the chief invigilator before leaving the room. The chief invigilator must report all such notifications. Students leaving an examination early in compliance with this section are eligible to apply for a deferred examination under the provisions of section 2.26 (a) above.

e) No faculty or school shall have regulations that compel students to accept deferrals for any or all examinations in any examination series.

f) When an application for a deferred examination is approved by the faculty or school office, the Head of the Department in which the course is offered, in consultation with the instructor concerned, shall schedule the deferred examination to take place normally within 30 working days from the end of the examination series from which the examination was deferred. The foregoing does not limit the ability for heads of departments, instructors and students from reaching mutually satisfactory arrangements for the scheduling of a deferred examination.

g) In the event students are unable to write the examination as outlined in 2.2.6 (f) they shall write the deferred examination at the next scheduled examination series in which the course is offered, unless ii) the head of the department in which the course is offered, in consultation with the instructor concerned, chooses to assign a grade without examination. In such cases the grades shall be assigned on the basis of the term work and assignments. Faculty or School Councils shall establish the procedure by which such a decision will be executed. iii) If the progression rules of a faculty or school require the successful completion of an entire academic year before a student is eligible to proceed into the next academic year, the deferred examination must be written within a time frame that enables the deferred examination to be written and graded, and, if necessary, a supplemental examination to be written and graded, before the start of the next academic year.

h) Candidates who accept standing in a course without examination may not, at a later date, request permission to write a deferred examination in the course.

i) Students who, for medical reasons, withdraw from a program or receive deferred examination privileges for all final examination series shall be informed by the Faculty or School that they may not re-register until they have established, through proper medical consultation, their fitness to resume studies.

2.2.7 Special Examinations - Religious Obligations

Candidates who, through religious obligations, are unable to write a final examination when scheduled, shall be given an opportunity to write a special examination. These students are required to give reasonable notice (approximately three weeks) to the head of the department concerned prior to the examination series and to present evidence concerning the religious obligations involved.

2.2.8 Invigilation of Examinations and Tests

a) The department, faculty or school shall supply such number of examination invigilators as is necessary.

b) Invigilation of examinations and tests shall normally be carried out by full-time faculty members.

c) An instructor is required to invigilate as requested by department, faculty or school concerned.

d) An instructor must be available during the whole of his/her examination even though he/she is not invigilating that examination.

e) "In view of the responsibilities with which a Chief Invigilator has been charged, selection of Chief Invigilators for large examination halls shall ensure that they are persons at a more senior rank than that of teaching assistants."

2.2.9 Use of Electronic Calculators in Examinations

Students are not permitted to bring in any unauthorized materials to an exam. This includes but is not limited to, calculators, books, notes, or any electronic device capable of wireless communication and/or storing information (e.g. translator, cell phone, pager, PDA, MP3 units, etc.). However, students may bring in such material or devices when permission has been given by the instructor and/or the Department or Faculty.

2.2.10 Audio Visual Supports

The use of audio visual supports (Audio visual supports include, but are not limited to: overhead or slide projectors, and audio/video tape players) to display examination or test questions shall be prohibited with the following exceptions:

i) Audio visual supports may be used to display examination or test questions where arrangements have been made to display all questions simultaneously for the entire examination/test period.

ii) In courses where time limited identification is a legitimate and specified part of the examination/test process, the use of overhead or slide projectors, or other audio visual supports for display purposes shall be permitted.

2.2.11 Posting Examination Answers

Answers to examination questions shall not be posted prior to the conclusion of the examination.

2.3 GRADES

2.3.1 Final Grades

a) Departments are required, subject to faculty/school regulations, to establish a procedure for the review and approval of final grades prior to submission to the Registrar.

b) All final grades must be submitted in accordance with the instructions received from the Registrar.

c) Final grades will be released to students by the Student Records Office as they are submitted by faculties and schools, except where alternate arrangements have been made between the Dean or Director and the Registrar.

d) To protect confidentiality, instructors may post grades in student number sequence.

2.3.2 Incompletes

a) The student who is unable to complete the term work prescribed in a course may apply to the instructor prior to the end of lectures for consideration of a grade classification of Incomplete.

b) The student is expected to write the final examination if one is scheduled for the course. It is possible to request a deferred examination based upon the conditions stated in Section 2.26.

c) Taking into account the results of the final examination, the value of the term work completed, and the extent of the incomplete term work, the instructor shall calculate the temporary grade using a zero value for incomplete work. This grade, preceded by the letter "I", e.g. "IF", "IC", "IB", etc. shall be recorded on the appropriate form and forwarded as part of a recommendation to the Department Head, Dean or Director for approval.

d) In addition to the grade, the recommendation should indicate the reason(s) for consideration being given, a description of the outstanding work to be completed, and the date by which the work must be submitted. The following maximum extensions are allowed:

• for courses terminated in April - August 1st
• for courses terminated in August - December 1st
• for courses terminated in December - April 1st

e) If a final grade is not reported within one month of the extension deadline, the letter "I" will be dropped and the grade remain as awarded. The student's opportunity to improve the grade will have lapsed.

f) In no case will the satisfaction of the Incomplete requirements cause a grade to be lowered.

g) When specific circumstances warrant, Deans or Directors may extend the date by which an Incomplete must be cleared. Instructors must formally request such an extension prior to the elapse of the maximum deadline date. In addition, the Student Records Office must be notified of the extension.

2.3.3 Continuing

For those graduate courses which continue beyond the normal academic term as prescribed in the General Calendar, the instructor shall recommend that a mark classification of "CO" be used until such time that final grades can be established.

2.3.4 Appeal of Term Work

The appeal of term work returned or made available to students before the last day of classes shall be subject to policies and procedures established by Faculty/School Councils.

2.3.5 Appeal of Final Grades

a) A student may enter an appeal, through the Registrar's Office, for assessment of one or more grades.  A student wishing to make a final grade appeal must do so by the deadlines set for the following terms and sessions:

i) On a first term course grade (Fall) the deadline is fifteen (15) working days following the first day in January which the University is open.

ii) On a second term course grade (Winter) the deadline is fifteen (15) working days after Victoria Day.

iii) For Summer Session Distance Education Programs the deadline is thirty (30) working days following the end of the exam period.

iv) For all other programs the deadline is twenty (20) working days following the end of the exam period.

Applications must be made on a prescribed form obtainable from the Registrar's Office. On payment of the prescribed fee, such appeals shall be forwarded to the Head of the Department in which the course is offered.

b) Examination scripts are to be held by the teaching unit responsible for the course until six months after the expiration of the appeal period. In individual cases where appeals have been initiated, the holding period will be extended accordingly.

c) Each department, school or faculty is responsible for arranging the proper processing of the appeals, and shall report the results of appeals to the Registrar's Office.

d) Normally the re-evaluation of a grade shall be undertaken by the instructor(s) responsible for the particular course(section) in consultation with at least one other instructor - in the same or related subject area - who shall independently assess the script and/or other relevant materials.

e) In the event that the appealed grade has been awarded on the basis of an examination only, the entire script will be re-read. Except as noted below, where the grade has been awarded on the basis of an examination in combination with term work, the examination script will be re-read and term mark calculation reviewed. In the case of grades awarded solely on the basis of term work, the calculation will be reviewed. In instances where term work has not been returned to students before the last day of classes, that term work shall also be re-read.

f) Grades subject to appeal may not be lowered.

g) In cases where appeals have resulted in a change of grade, the application fee will be refunded to the student.

h) Teaching units shall be responsible for arranging to destroy examination scripts held by them in accordance with section (b) above, ensuring in the process, the confidentiality of the document.

i) The result of an appeal must be submitted to the Registrar's Office within 30 days of the deadline for the student to submit the appeal being considered. In the event this deadline cannot be met, the department must notify the Registrar's Office with reasons for the delay. In no case shall an appeal be delayed longer than 60 days.

2.3.6 Grading Systems

Faculties and Schools may investigate various grading systems in order that a better understanding is reached regarding the relationship between grading systems, evaluation processes, student performance and program objectives. Prior to taking action based on such investigation, the faculty or school must submit its proposal to the Committee on the Academic Evaluation of Students for its approval.

2.4 REGULATIONS FOR EXAMINATIONS ADMINISTERED BY THE REGISTRAR'S OFFICE

If a faculty, school, or department elects to use the services of the Registrar's Office to schedule and administer examinations, the following regulations shall apply:

a) Requests for examination scheduling must be submitted prior to the following dates: December exams - October 15th April exams - January 15th

b) Examinations shall be of one, two or three hours duration.

c) The department, faculty or school shall be responsible for supplying the number of examination invigilators as deemed necessary by the Student Records Office.

d) Examination question papers must be submitted ten calendar days in advance of the examination.

e) The Registrar's Office shall make a report to the Senate Committee on the Academic Evaluation of Students on the conduct of each series of exams. The Committee on the Academic Evaluation of Students will bring to the Senate's attention any matters arising therefrom which are considered significant.

f) The Instructions to Invigilators shall apply for examinations administered by the Registrar's Office.

2.5 INSTRUCTIONS TO INVIGILATORS

2.5.1 Prior to an Examination

a) Invigilators are required to report to the Student Records Office for exams administered by the Student Records Office for supervisory duties not later than thirty minutes (one half-hour) prior to the scheduled time for each examination. Examination material, supervisory lists, and the name of the invigilator in charge will be distributed.

b) At each seat in the examination room, the invigilator should place the appropriate material required for the exam.

c) The time of commencement of the examination shall be announced.

2.5.2 Conduct During Examination

a) Any student departing from accepted procedure during an examination must be reported immediately to the Chief Invigilator.

b) The Chief Invigilator shall allow the student to continue writing the examination except as noted below.

c) The Chief Invigilator shall record the nature of the alleged infraction on the form provided by the Registrar's Office.

d) The Chief Invigilator shall complete the introductory section of the form immediately and shall ask the student to sign at that point in order that the student provide positive identification.

e) The Chief Invigilator shall advise the student, when the identification portion of the form has been signed, of his or her right to submit a separate report on the circumstances of the incident to the Dean or Director of his or her Faculty or School.

f) The Chief Invigilator shall ask that the student read the form containing full details of the incident by or at the close of the examination. The form, thus completed, shall be sent to the Registrar's Office for distribution to the Dean or Director, to the student and to the Invigilators involved in the incident.

g) Notwithstanding the above, in those cases in which the behaviour of a student is disruptive to others writing the examination, or to the conduct of that examination, the Chief Invigilator may, after due warning, require that student to cease writing the examination and leave the examination hall. For such cases the form provided by the Student Records Office must be completed in the manner outlined in the above paragraph.

h) The Chief Invigilator shall ensure that no student leaves the room without signing the roll and submitting a script. No student shall be permitted to leave the examination room during the first 30 minutes of the examination. A student will be considered a late arrival if he or she arrives to write an examination after at least one other student who is writing the same examination has left the examination room. Any student who, due to late arrival, is not permitted to write an examination will be asked to complete the appropriate form and then will be advised to contact the Office of his/her Dean or Director not later than the next business day to discuss possible alternatives. No student scheduled to write an exam in a centrally administered location who arrives late for the examination shall be permitted to write longer than the scheduled end-time for that exam. For those exams not centrally scheduled, flexibility may be allowed at the discretion of the unit administering the examinations, but all students in a given course with commonly examined sections should have equal opportunities to take advantage of whatever flexibility is afforded. Should a technical irregularity occur in an examination, such as misprinted information or wrong instruction, invigilators supervising the same examination in other locations must be informed. TheRegistrar's Office should be contacted immediately should this or other similar problems arise in an examination room.

2.5.3 At the Close of an Examination

a) The time of conclusion of the examination should be announced.

b) Every candidate must turn in an examination script before leaving the room to the invigilator located at the exit of the room.

c) A count must be made of the scripts by course number and balanced against the total for each course examination indicated on the nominal roll.

d) No student may be permitted to re-enter an examination room until all examination scripts have been collected.

e) The nominal roll must be returned to the Registrar's Office at the conclusion of the examination session. Examination scripts may be either received by the instructor(s) concerned or be delivered to the Registrar's Office.

2.6 GUIDELINES

2.6.1 INFORMATION PROVIDED TO STUDENTS

For faculties or schools in which instructors are allowed discretion as to the method of evaluation used in their courses the students shall be fully informed of the method of evaluation and shall be given the opportunity to discuss the method and to make suggestions regarding appropriate revision. Such discussions should take place within a week of the announcement and may involve the Head of the Department as well as the instructor. In multi-section courses in which individual students do not wish to accept the method of evaluation such students should be given assistance in finding places in other sections of the course. If an instructor deviates unreasonably from the agreed method of evaluation without prior consultation with the students and Head of Department, the department head shall take remedial action and the students may bring such deviations to the attention of the department head.

2.6.2 PROMPT RETURN OF RESULTS OF TERM TESTS AND GRADES

Faculty and School Councils should make provisions that results of term tests and grades given to term work be made available as soon as possible bearing in mind that students need this information in order to make appropriate decisions, e.g. voluntary withdrawal.

2.6.3 STUDENT ACCESS TO FINAL EXAMINATIONS

a) In order to allow proper feedback, students shall have an opportunity to read their own final examination script and any comments written on it prior to the deadline for a formal grade appeal, but only in the presence of the instructor or a department-appointed staff member.

b) Notwithstanding 1 above, there is no obligation upon departments to make machine-scored examination answer sheets available for consultation by students. It is expected that departments will provide appropriate means of feedback to students in such circumstances and, where practicable, will encourage instructors to discuss selected questions and answers.

c) Regulations regarding access to answer scripts of external examinations are governed by the regulations of the institution whose examination has been written.

3.0 Accountability

3.1 The University Secretary is responsible for advising the President that a formal review of this Policy is required.

3.2 The Vice-President (Academic) and Provost will be responsible for the communication, administration and interpretation of this policy.

4.0 Secondary Documents

4.1 The Approving Body may approve Procedures which are secondary to and comply with this Policy.

4.2 Administration may approve Procedures which are secondary to and comply with this Policy.

5.0 Review

5.1 Formal Policy reviews will be conducted every ten (10) years. The next scheduled review date for this Policy is January 1, 2018.

5.2 In the interim, this Policy may be revised or rescinded if:

(a) the Approving Body deems uncessary; or
(b) the relevant Bylaw, Regulations or Policy is revised or rescinded.

5.3 If this Policy is revised or rescinded, all Secondary Documents will be reviewed as soon as reasonably possible in order to ensure that they:

(a) comply with the revised Policy; or
(b) are in turn rescinded.

6.0 Effect on Previous Statements

6.1 This Policy supersedes:

(a) all previous Board/Senate Policies, Procedures, and resolutions on the subject matter herein;
(b) all previous Administration Policies, Procedures, and directives on the subject matter contained herein;
(c) Policy 1305: Examination Regulations (last revised May, 2005)

7.0 Cross References

Policy: Responsibilities of Academic Staff with regard to Students